The next morning, I woke up early to see Akakami Fukuyama, the only assassin that I respected. You see, she was supposed to be first rank, but was denied the spot due to being a woman. Ever since then, she's been cold and dangerous, not exactly the kind of person you'd want for an enemy.

Wearing my black jeans, yellow t-shirt, and black leather jacket with silver trim, I walked down the hallway to get to her haven. I slid open the rice paper door that led to her room. I began to walk down the outdoor corridor when suddenly, the air began to get very cold. Shivering, I zipped up my jacket and quietly knocked on the side of her rice paper door. There was no answer. Suddenly and without warning, the door flew open and cold wind practically blew me down.

If I weren't as afraid and alert as now, I would have barely noticed that it began to snow. Slowly, I stepped inside and looked around. Around the corner, I saw a black kimono, the same as Fukuyama's. It was her. Though she didn't speak a word, I could tell that she was waiting for me to approach. Cautiously, I stepped forward to speak to her. "We…are meant to do battle today…" I said. She continued to sit in silence.

"…and I know that I will not be able to defeat you." She turned her ear towards me slightly, as if telling me to continue. "I know that you are angry because my father gave you the second rank instead of the one which you deserved." Fog began to exit from my mouth as I began to rub my arms for warmth. "I have a proposition for you…"

An hour later…

I swung my sword at Akakami, but she blocked with hers. It was so cold, I could barely see straight. Ahead, Akakami glared at me, her eyes piercing deep into my soul. She ran at me, charging with her sword. She was so quick with her attack, that I barely blocked it. Shards of ice shattered from her sword as we held our swords against one another. Suddenly, I found myself falling to the ground, watching as Akakami's sword plunged towards me. Swiftly, I rolled out of the way and stood up.

Looking at her, I could see as Akakami's sweat froze right to her skin. Her hair even had tiny icicles sticking to the ends of it. I charged at her, bringing my sword to her side. The sound of metal clashing against each other echoed throughout the arena. Akakami blocked my attack. Next, her elbow collided with my nose. With a small whimper, I jumped back and grabbed at my nose as it began to bleed. My feet came out from underneath me and as I landed, my head hit the floor. Groaning, I rolled back and noticed that Akakami was weaponless. She had already moved on into the hand to hand combat stage.

The smell of blood and the awkward metallic taste in the back of my throat urged me to continue the fight. I still held my sword in hand as Akakami ran forward at me. With one fluid movement, she grabbed my wrist and pivoted backwards on her heel. Her other leg spun around and hit me in the back of the head. My sword fell out of my hand, as her other leg hit me in the face. She was completely dominating me in this fight.

Using my Tae Kwon Do skills, I launched several punches at her, the same punches that dubbed me the Queen of Fists on the streets. Surprisingly, none of them hit her. Jumping into the air, she kicked my chest and grabbed my arm, landing back on the ground and swiftly sweep kicking me down. My body ached, almost like it were telling me to give up and accept death. I couldn't do that, I just had to win somehow.

Akakami chopped at my neck, but I swirled around and managed to kick her in the stomach. The audience of criminals gasped, as Akakami was deemed Untouchable. She looked at me, with this light of hatred just ready to begin Armageddon . Without regret, she launched a pressure point attack used to kill at me. Reacting out of shock, I bent down and punched her in the stomach, before rising into an uppercut which landed on her chin. In the split second that her eyes were closed, I jumped behind her and kicked her backside, sending her to the floor. Finally, I spun in the air and landed so that my foot came down on her back.

She was motionless…silence filled the air and the cold began to dissipate from the arena. I looked up and noticed my father smiling at me. I had won.

As I left the arena, I looked back at the flustered Akakami. I knew that she was the reason that I lived. She spared my life and in doing so, gave me the means to avenge myself.